A Little Chaos
by SidewaysWitchcraft
Summary: Charles Vane, a once formidable opponent always wondered if his life would be different if Hornigold and his crew had not cost the life of his lover. Then just as the fates seemed to be aligning for him, a young woman arrives in Nassau with a letter addressed to him and a very familiar ring. (Not actual VanexEleanor, just memories.) BillyxOC
1. Chapter 1

**A Little Chaos**

 **Chapter One**

* * *

It had been years since the British had taken Nassau, the news had spread through the entire world that the infamous pirate port was no longer. It was even said that the King himself had given the palace staff permission to have a drink, to toast that the monsters that had roamed the seas were no longer. Britain could trade with America and America could trade in the Caribbean without having the immense fear that half their cargo was never to be seen again. The British Empire was never again challenged by men who wanted freedom from the monarchy and its injustice, even the Spanish kept their distance from Nassau. After all that nonsense with the Urca gold being captured by the Pirates, then the British coming in to claim it only to realise that Spain would come and did as they did years ago… Burn Nassau to the ground and with it any man, woman or child that occupied it. Governor Rogers gave the Spanish back its treasure with much hesitation, that amount of wealth could've done a great many things in Nassau and would certainly buy Rogers much needed friends on New Providence Island.

When the British came, they knew that the Pirates had a decent force behind them so they sailed from London with a fleet of ships powerful enough to destroy anything in their range and enough men to take the town by force and bloodshed. The pirates knew that this was it, that their freedom had come to an end. After all a man who was guilty as sin of several crimes would surely see the hangman's noose if he lived elsewhere, but in Nassau when the British came they offered the pirates another chance. They offered every single man, woman and child a pardon from their crimes so long as they sign their names and become again a citizen of the British Empire. This alternative to the expected bloodshed was taken very quickly amongst the residents and pirates left on the island, by the time the announcement was finished it was said that half the men in Nassau had lowered their weapons and that the British were on the beach by day's end.

Of course there were still Pirates who never wanted to under a rule of a king, a man named Edward Teach gave everything to the British one last time before he was captured and hung for piracy and crimes against the crown. It went as a warning to those perhaps waiting to retaliate that this pardon they received was only the once off, if they acted against the crown then they too would surely get what they deserved; a short drop and sudden stop.

Two of Nassau's infamous Pirate lords had given their crews the option, either fight like Teach and take as many of the British along with them as possible or to swear allegiance to the crown and become the men they used to hunt- Lazy merchant traders doing his majesties bidding. The crew's picked to take the pardon, many were simply not ready to greet the hangman with a smile like their captains, they figured if they made similar wages as before then what would be the difference?

Captain James Flint was a name known to the entire British Empire for being a skilled navigator his majesty's Navy before going rogue and ending up in Nassau. When it was spread that he was one of the various pirate lords who had surrendered to the British, not even the British believed it. All these years he was played out as some sort of murderous monster with no sense of decency, compassion or morals and yet he gave up his life as a Pirate to join the Nassau council alongside another Pirate lord that the British were slightly intimidated by.

Captain Charles Vane was a man who his entire life swore that he would never bow to a king, that he would keep his freedom even if it meant his death. After all, as a child he was a slave and knew nothing but the chains and cruelty of men in charge. He still had his brand after all these years to remind him of what he had escaped and that freedom would come at price one day, even if he died a freeman then Charles would die with a smile on his face. But this time Charles and his crew had no other option, the crew would either hand just Charles in to receive pardons, the crew and the Captain would all die in some sort of bloody fight with the British and probably be called the worst names possible in the news all in the effort to ruin the pirate image forever or they would all mutually agree that a pardon was best and it was time to become decent men who earn't a wage and pay their taxes to a king all the way back in London.

Now, it had been almost twenty years since the British invaded. The only remnants of the Pirate life that they all left behind was the ship wreck of Teach's ship that on a clear day you could see in the shallow waters of the bay. Nassau had gone from the beach shanty town it once was to an actual town, one with proper streets and buildings all because of the various men and woman on the council that wanted to move on quickly from the Pirates and give Nassau a real civilised feeling.

Charles missed his tent on the beach, after so many years sleeping on the ground he had often woken in his own bed, in his own house feeling uncomfortable and having to move to the floor to get a proper nights rest. The business of waking up, going to work, coming home then sleep only to repeat the arduous roster all over again. Charles was only lucky in one aspect, that he was nominated to become Quartermaster under the Captaincy of Flint. Governor Rogers didn't want two pirate lords both having a ship and crew, so they were forced to work together which was a painful process for both parties involved. But lucky for those parties involved, Flint and Vane spawned an odd friendship after a couple of years most likely out of a request of their crew that were tired of them arguing like an old married couple.

But in fact it was because they had lost someone, Flint lost his lover Miranda at Charlestown and was a few screws loose for a while because of it. While Charles lost the only woman he loved and feared, Eleanor Guthrie was taken by Hornigold's men to receive the first pardons and to claim that they were the ones who lead to infamous Pirate Queens death. They also met their own deaths over a period of a few years, mysteriously dying under unknown circumstances or having nasty accidents whilst sailing. Charles and Eleanor at the time were having a war between them when she was taken, but that didn't mean that he wished her death- not so far from her home and certainly not on the public gallows for all to see.

Some days Charles wished he could move on like so many had, he watched at everyone found happiness with their loved ones. At first when he noticed everyone getting married it bothered him, but by the time his long-time friends Jack and Anne got married Charles just knew that everyone else was just insane. That marriage was indeed a form a slavery itself, Charles only needed to open his bedroom window on a Sunday morning to hear the various wives yell at their husbands for not wearing the proper Sunday church wear. But when Flint came back from London with a woman by his side, it made Charles think deeply about if he wanted to die alone or have someone to finally be by his side through thick and thin. But there was a certain type of woman Charles wanted, a woman with an independent mind and her own opinions that was intelligent enough to put everyone in the room on notice if they dared cross her. But Charles never found one, with civilisation coming to Nassau it brought woman with modest dresses, umbrellas and minds of a trained poodle. So Charles remained by himself, only opting to visit others on rare occasions as once married the entire town of Nassau just spawned like rabbits. It wasn't that Charles hated kids, but because he never had the childhood they had made him wary around them just in case he accidently were too rough with them and would later be known to be cruel to children. Lucky for him Charles, Anne and Flint's wife Lauren had seen that he struggled with being pounced on and not knowing how to play with them. It took a couple of years, but Charles went from that rather scary tall man to a much loved family member and usual play buddy. What Charles did like with the children was that he could simply hand them back to their parents and head on home without all the crying, lecturing and everything that came with raising such little monsters at time.

But still at night, Charles wondered if fates had been different would he and Eleanor have children of their own? Would they play with Flint and the Rackham children or be sent off to boarding school in America like Eleanor always feared she would be. Would Charles have a son or daughter that would always get up to mischief and couldn't be trusted, just like Eleanor was when she was a child. So more often or not, Charles fell asleep with a dream of a golden haired girl sitting on his lap after returning from a long voyage listening to his pirate tales.

* * *

Isabella had rarely experienced the life outside of the Churches walls, even on Market days she would be beside a sister and remain silent and easily forgotten. The church had been her home since she was little, so she had no memory of a home or even her own mother. As the story went like she had been told numerous times every time she confessed in being jealous of the school girls down the road who had mothers waiting for them at the sound of the bell, the story was simply her mother died and Isabell's remaining family had no intention to transport her all the way to America, so Isabell was placed as a ward of the Church in the care of the many sisters that cared for the old decaying building. Isabella always wondered if perhaps the sisters knew more details about her mother, growing up she had always wondered if she looked like her mother who died or the father she never knew. With her bright eyes and dark brown hair, she wondered whose eyes she inherited? perhaps the colour came from a much loved grandmother or if her father had the same kind eye others had noted on Isabella.

Now being there for almost twenty years, Isabella had many fond attachments one to the Bishop who had tutored her for many years and was considered her closest friend. But one night just last week everything changed for the young woman, the bishop died and a new Bishop was sworn in. Since Isabella was little, she knew that she would never make a nun. Though she was taught to read and write in English, Greek and Latin just like all the other young nun's to be. Isabella knew that even though she had faith of god that her dreams and ambitions were elsewhere far from the locked courtyard of the Church. The new Bishop knew this and had heard of Isabella's gifts, but wanted to give her a life far from London where perhaps she could spread the word…. In her mother's home town.

The new Bishop had a letter past down from the previous Bishop to give to Isabella once it was clear that she was not to join the sisters at the church. The first day that the Bishop was there Isabella had altered her usual day attire so that she appeared for fashionable, something that was quickly sorted out by giving her a lash and new clothes. The second day, not only had Isabella again altered the clothes but had managed to scale the church wall and was found in the Market place talking to the butchers son. The new Bishop had read the letter and his immediate thought was why not let the young woman go home to her mother's house, it would be a long journey but Isabella would be far from here and no longer giving the gossip mongers in the church something to feast one. But first the Bishop was to tell young Isabella about her mother and the events that led to her coming under the guardianship of the church, the letter he had been given came in two. One was for Isabella for when she comes of age and one for Isabella's father, which only had the initials 'C.V' on it. Both letters had been written by Isabella's mother Eleanor and it was her wish that these letters are to be kept by the bishop until the right time.

Isabella knew her time was coming to an end at the Church, the gossip mongers around had been at it for days spreading rumours around that she was to be kicked out for her lack of morals and discipline. She was in her room alone when the Bishop entered unannounced, Isabella wasn't caught off guard she knew that he was coming to give her some lecture on morals again and a sense of dignity after the last couple of days where she threatened the sisters with public nudity if they made her wear disgustingly itchy modest clothing. But when Isabella saw that he carried a letter and some sort of trinket, she knew just at that moment that a childhood wish was to come true. Her family had wanted her back now that she was older enough to make it to America, that she was thought of and loved after all these years.

The bishop asked for Isabella to sit across from him on her bed, while he stood not wanting to seem too comfortable or compassionate on a young woman who was going to leave his church. "Isabella, you have been under the care of the Anglican church since you were a newborn babe. Today, I've decided that a choice is to be given to you. Today, I will give you the letter your mother wrote to you and the trinket she intrusted to you. But first, it has been directed to me to tell you about your mother and the circumstances that led you here" The bishop handed the letter and the expensive golden ring over to Isabella, who looked bright eyed and bushy tailed to be hearing any information regarding her mother.

"Your mother was born into quite a privileged family, her father Richard Guthrie was a Governor was New Providence Island in the Caribbean. Sadly, during the time as Governor Richard Guthrie lost control of the Island and it fell into the hands of the various pirate crews. Instead of returning to England, he befriended the pirates and using his family name traded with the pirates and sold the ill-gotten cargo to buyers. It was a successful business, one of the richest men in the colonies. But after many years of trading this illegal cargo, someone tipped off the authorities and thus Richard Guthrie closed the business and left Nassau. Your mother, Eleanor reopened her father's business and proved to be far more successful than her father. But this power came at price, the British wanted Nassau back and so to receive pardons for their crimes your mother the 'Pirate Queen' of Nassau was kidnapped and brought to London for trail. In which time, it was discovered she was with child. Eleanor due to her connections had her sentence suspended until you were born, she asked for the child to go to her family in Boston. But they wanted nothing to do with her, so she asked that you were to be given to the church and raised far from Nassau." The Bishop saw that Isabella was slowly crumbling once she started to put the pieces in place.

"Isabella you were two weeks old when you came to us, you didn't have a name and had no family. Your mother, met the gallows just after you came into our care. She was hung for treason and various other crimes that she apparently did during her time in Nassau. There was a public outcry afterwards that saw the people turn on the courts for some time, many were offended that the judge hung a young mother with a child. But as it is here in London, after a time Eleanor and her crimes were forgotten even after Nassau was reclaimed by the British.-

"-My mother was a pirate?" Isabella asked, her whole entire childhood seemed to just implode. She had always hoped that her mother was one of those scandalous woman who fell in love with a inappropriate man and had to give her child away. But to hear that not only was her mother dead, but she was hung for piracy was beyond heart breaking. Tears begun to fall down her face at the realisation that there was nowhere else to go, the church was her only family.

The Bishop saw the girl's distress and handed her the letters and the ring. "Your mother wrote these before she died, one is for you and the other your father. Which gives me the faith that your trip to New Providence Island could still lead you to your father, it has all been arranged. You will tend to the small church there, the priest will house you and feed you while you track down your father"

Isabella didn't wait for the Bishop to finish about her duties in Nassau, she could hear him but she was too busy opening the letter addressed to her. Isabella had never received a letter before, to finally receive on in such a manor made her a little mad but none the less determined to rip open the letter and read…

 _To my daughter,_

 _Words cannot express my feelings that I had to leave you, by now I presume you know who I was and how I came to die. I hope that this doesn't make you think any less of me, I had my reasons for my crimes after all they say the path to hell was paved with good intentions. I am sorry that I had to leave you in the care of the church, the only family I had left wanted nothing to do with me and I don't blame them. After all I wanted you to lead a good life, a long life far from Nassau and the people who ultimately cost me my life and our chance being together._

 _My own mother died when I was young, I was left alone when I was eight with only my father's slave to guide me. It made me rather hard hearted and probably a little power mad after all I only wanted what was best for the Island, I wanted Nassau to have legitimacy and the British to regain the control they once had. However, I didn't foresee the bounty placed on my head and being taken under the guise of night to hauled back to London and to die in front of people who didn't know what Nassau was._

 _If you are like me, intelligent and opinionated I know you will be on your way to Nassau to find out further information about your family. But I want you to go on the side of caution, if the British were able to take back Nassau then your trip may be in vain as you might find out that your father died anyhow and that you will again be alone. If they weren't able to take back Nassau, then I strongly urge caution as your father would most likely be the one running Nassau._

 _Your father was a man, who I had known since I first got off the ship. The ring I left you was a part of treasure he stole from a Spanish ship, it was the first time he told me that he wanted to marry me. At the time, I was young and didn't want to be the woman who walked two paces behind a man. So for a few years your father and I had a rather complicated relationship, when I suspected I was with child Nassau was on the verge of war._

 _I don't regret betraying your father, but I regret that I never got the chance to tell him that we were about to have you, perhaps if I hadn't been taken things would have turned out differently. Your father was a rather hard hearted man, a man who probably one of the most vile and cruel men on Nassau. But when he was away from his crew, he was a good man. Though 'Good' didn't always best describe him, the day that I was taken was the same day he murdered my own father for betraying him._

 _As a mother, who knows that I won't be there to see you grow up into a beautiful young lady I dream you will be. I hope that you will be smart about going to Nassau, if you do not find who you are looking for I hope that you return to London or America to make a life for yourself far from the foul men I had to put up with my entire life._

 _I die with my head held high, with the knowledge that I have done at least one right thing in my life. Having you was my last good thing I could do and I do pray with the last couple of hours I have left, that you find the family that was taken from you._

 _Yours truly, your mother x_

 _Eleanor Guthrie._

Isabella had no words to even comprehend what she had just read, still mad that her mother turned out to an evil monstrous woman and now even madder that Eleanor claimed she did it with good intentions. Now to read that perhaps even her father was dead brought Isabella more heartache, even if he too was pirate. But the little that Isabella knew of the Caribbean was that Nassau was won over by the British pardoning every pirate who laid down their arms and swore allegiance to the crown. So there was a slim chance that her father was still on the island and in the service of the British who now ruled over most of the new world.

"So I am to go to Nassau to find my family?" Isabella asked the Bishop who nodded, feeling sorry for the young woman whose dreams seemed to have been crushed by her mother's letter.

"Yes, start packing. You leave tomorrow, there's a captain heading to Nassau who has agreed to take you. Apparently he knew your mother, so I presume that your mother still has friends on the island after all this time" The Bishop gave Isabella a touch on a shoulder to show his support for her in this troubled timed.

So that night Isabella packed the few items that the sisters allowed her to take with her, most of the items had been donated by the patrons of the church who over the years who had grown fond of the young ambitious girl. Isabella had never worn a corset let alone a proper dress, she even scoffed when a sister came in and gave her a parasol to keep the sun from tanning her skin. How did woman wear so much clothing that was clearly invented to stop them breathing correctly, though when the sisters had helped her into it and Isabella caught her reflection in the mirror she gasped at how beautiful yet ridiculous she looked. Now she looked like those overdressed woman who passed by in the street, who if they dropped something couldn't simply lean over and pick it up.

However even been hidden by the walls of the church, Isabella knew that she certainly wasn't some plain girl. Vanity was a sin according to most of the sisters, but Isabella was proud that others deemed her a pretty girl. So now dressed as a lady it made her think that perhaps her mother was where she inherited such beauty from, Isabella just hoped she wouldn't run into trouble with the men on the shop. After all it was well known around the parts that surrounded the church that Isabella wasn't a girl that could be so easily swept off her feet, a boy only last year found himself being tripped into a mud pool because Isabella refused his advances.

When the morning came and the coach waited for her outside Isabella couldn't feel anything but sadness, the church had been her home and sanctuary for many years. She had grown up with so many amazing woman who were like a mother to Isabella and who had taught her everything, Isabella had also many friends in the church and its patrons and was upset a little that she may never see them again. Isabella had also a sick feeling in her gut that what she was doing was ridiculous, to give up a guaranteed home for life all for the sake of a father who may be dead already.

Once Isabella arrived to the ship she was in awe at the size of it, growing up in London meant she hard saw ships of this size and certainly had never seen so many men in one place at the same time. The captain was waiting for her, with various men surrounding him wondering who could be so important to postpone their trip for a day just so some girl could be brought along.

"Isabella, I presume?" The captain smiled as he helped Isabell out of the coach, he was quite taken by the sight of the young girl. She certainly looked simular to her mother, but there was not a single doubt in his mind that wasn't Charles Vane's daughter. Once out of the coach Isabella smiled, she too was taken off guard by the handsome man who helped her out of the coach.

"Yes, I am Isabella. You are Captain….-

"-Captain Manderly miss, let me be the first to welcome you to our ship the 'Fancy'" Billy blubbered like a school boy, he could hear his crew sniggering behind as he helped the young woman onto the ship. This was going to be a long six week voyage, the crew didn't like that there was a woman aboard as it was seen as bad luck but most didn't like the fact that their captain wouldn't tell them who she was. At nearly thirty seven years of age Billy had done many things he wasn't proud of, he even was now captain of ship that the previous captain sold the girl's mother to the British. It made him uneasy at the thought of how many years the girl had grown up in such a horrid and cruel place like the church, filled with all that discipline and rules.

Billy showed Isabella to her room for the stay, he was worried that Isabella wouldn't take the trip well and had her room next to his. After all, if word reached Vane about her and Billy was to port with a dead girl then Vane most likely would go on a bloody murdering spree. Isabella was now Billy's responsibility, he was a babysitter as it were and was going to take good care of Eleanor's daughter. After all Eleanor all those years ago had always been kind to Flint's crew, Eleanor had helped Flint on so many occasions it felt like Billy himself owed her a lifetime worth of favours.

Isabell wondered what the captain was thinking, they had remained in the room for several minutes with the door shut and yet the Captain had yet to say anything to her, instead he just looked at her like he had never laid eyes on a woman before.

"Captain Manderly, I want to thank you for agreeing to this" Isabell smiled at the Captain, who finally fell out of the daze he was in.

"Your mother helped my old crew all those years ago, I feel like I owe her this. Your father on the other hand would probably kill me if I didn't agree. It's actually quite by chance that he didn't take this job as per usual, he usually likes the journey to London-"

"-So you knew both my parents?" Isabell asked, her heart skipping for joy that the Captain had confirmed that her father was alive.

"Certainly, one couldn't live in Nassau without either being in debt to your mother or if they were stupid enough they would have to answer to your father, probably one of the most terrifying men I had ever come across" Billy said, he too happy that he was bringing good news to Isabell who looked like she was in desperate need of it. He took of his hat, wanting this not to be such a formal proceeding that he couldn't be a friend to her. Without a second Billy had found the young woman arms around him, pulling him into an embrace. Billy could say at least he had done something good this week at least, however very thankful that no word of this show of affection would spread to the crew and eventually to Vane who would surely hang him by his manhood and perhaps more so if he could read into Billy's mind. Billy didn't want to be harsh to the girl, he was certain that she didn't know that this wasn't done to strangers so he simply wrapped his own arms around her… it was when he noticed that she was beginning to cry that his embrace grew a bit firmer to comfort the poor girl whose world was in an array of chaos at the time.

"I do apologise Captain, I didn't mean to behave inappropriately." Isabell pulled away from the Captain still with tears running down her face. Cursing herself for acting like a fool and probably making this a far more awkward trip than need be.

"No need to apologise, I do not mind. You've lived your life in a church and I've lived in a town full of former pirates." Billy put his hat back on and unlocked the door to leave. "There's little that offends me or surprises me" He said before smiling once again at the young girl who he himself needed to be careful around, just being that close and smelling her perfume gave him thoughts that were overwhelming for man who many thought in secret was a eunuch.

For the long weeks of the journey, Isabell and Captain Manderly were as close as friends got. Billy showed her everything that he knew about mapping, navigation and general runnings of his ship. The crew though smirking half the time and sniggering the other half about the Captain being absolutely besotted by this young woman still had no real information on her, only that it was asked by a Bishop that the woman was to be brought to Nassau to tend to the small church they had on the island. They could only watch as their much loved Captain did everything in his power to please his new girl, who by the looks of it wasn't even trying to get his attentions in the first place.

It was two days before they're expected arrival in Nassau and Isabell had grown tired of the sun, humidity and the bugs that went along with it. She had managed to read every book on board to avoid to be on the deck only to feel like a fried egg, it also gave her the off chance that Captain Manderly would come to check on her. But this one morning Isabell had remained in bed perhaps a little later than usual due to a much welcomed cool change overnight. As Isabell struggled to finish getting her corset tied knowing the Captain would be to visit at any moment, who ever had the idea to wear such a ridiculous piece of clothing needs to be smacked in the head. If so many woman never had the luxury of having a hand maid to help her then why did they design it to be tied and tightened from the back making Isabell feel like her shoulder was to pop off at any given moment.

It would've popped out if her door hadn't been opened quickly, she turned to see the Captain in the door way with his nose in a book completely unaware that she was not finished being dressed. She turned to face him as he lifted his nose from the book, the moment that he realised he had forgotten his manners and realised that Isabella was far from being ready to receive his company. Both of their faces were flushed with embarrassment, but there was little Isabell could do she had over hurried to tie her corset and hurt her shoulder.

"Forgive me Isabell" Billy turned his back, taking a deep breath attempting to relax and remove the image he had seen.

"I have a favour to ask, one which may seem inappropriate. But there is no other woman on this ship and I have hurt my shoulder. Could you tie this god forsaken thing?" Isabell asked expecting for the Captain to laugh or call her foolish. But instead she heard his footsteps approach and felt his hands on the ribbons of the corset.

"Your lucky Isabell" Billy said as he tightened the first tie, not wanting to tie it too tightly to cause her discomfort "I have three older sisters back home in London, I am well aware of young ladies and these fickle corsets"

"Is that to say you did you sisters corsets? Or is there a young lady waiting for you in Nassau with her own troublesome corset" Isabella asked, not sure if the Captain was aware of what he just said. She felt that he took another deep breath and exhaled, she felt his cool breath on the back of her bare shoulders.

Billy had to chuckle a little after attempting to calm himself, how was it that woman were talented at twisting words. He was extremely uncomfortable in doing this, her bare skin only inches from his fingers. He wanted to know however how she got these scars across her back, if he didn't know better she had been lashed numerous times. Billy's temper flared at the thought of someone doing such a cruel thing to a woman, let alone a young and beautiful one which he had grown rather fond of. "My sisters corsets, there is no woman waiting for me anywhere" He answered tightened up the second tie, a little too tightly accidently causing Isabell to inhale sharply.

"Such a handsome man and a captain to have no wife or girl to go home to strikes me as a little odd?" Isabella chuckled a little, now she knew she was flirting with intent.

"I could say, that to you. That such a beautiful and educated at your age without a husband is a little odd to me"

"I was raised in the church as you know Captain, kept far from society and certainly far from any man's affections or touch" Isabella knew how to push the Captains buttons, her entire body just seemed to feel warm and almost glowing having him do this favour for her.

Billy was in quite the emotional turmoil one would find in a besotted school boy, here he was doing Isabella's corset up and quite openly flirting with her. Hearing her admit that she had never been touched by a man, almost made him faint. He could feel his cheeks burning and his fingers begin to fumble as his thoughts of what perhaps was under the corset and skirts. "You'd best to keep that information quiet, I wouldn't want the men to hear that"

"Why?" Isabella played it down, she very well knew why and it was part of the reason she only said in then. She turned to face him to see if he could answer the question or if he would finally make the brave move Isabella had been waiting for.

"You know why" Billy said in a hushed tone, trying to keep his modesty in check.

"You seem like the type of 'good' man who wouldn't dare damage a ladies reputation" The cheek in her tone made Billy tip over the edge and before Isabella could protest she felt the side of the ship against her back, the Captain's body pressed hard against her with his soft lips covering hers. Isabella had never kissed a man, but now knew the odd sensation. She could taste the honey from his breakfast on his lips as he deepened the kiss and pushed his body harder against her.

But then all of a sudden it stopped and Billy looked at her "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to overstep the boundaries" he smiled as the relief he felt after he finally did what his heart had wanted since he helped her onto the ship. With that he left the room in quite a hurry, still flushed from their exchange. Isabella smiled, so this was what it was like to have the affections of a man. However his leaving did leave her in a predicament…. Her corset still was undone.

* * *

I had a day to do nothing, please note its suppose to be Isabella but I was quite lazy and the spelling varied. #oops.

Next Chapter will focus on Charles and Isabella.

(P.s I'm no scholar on the runnings of the church. So just play with it, its the only chapter where the Church will be somewhat important)


	2. Chapter 2

A Little Chaos

Chapter Two

* * *

When the British gave the Captain of the fancy the job of getting supplies from England, Charles was beyond furious with the Governor. As he had been making that trip for years with great success, now all of a sudden Flint's crew were grounded because there had been rumours circulating through the colonies that there were loyal pirates hidden amongst Flint's pirate crew. Charles knew of course, that there were many men who still didn't like being under the rule of the British but not a single one of them were stupid enough to try anything. If any man would dare say anything that would cause any type of unrest in the crew Charles would know about and he would certainly be the one who put the troublesome crew member back on the square and narrow path so that the crew could get paid and feed their waiting families at home.

So to hear that young Captain had scored his old job struck a nerve, though Flint had calmed him on more than one occasion that the British was simply exercising the young and upcoming captains after all both Flint and Vane were the hot blooded pirate captains they once were. Flint didn't mind being grounded he was able to spend time with his sons while Charles didn't mind tagging along but he felt like an outsider, that one person who just couldn't always feel at ease around children. Some days he was fine with Flint's sons Edward and Alexander, but some days he would rather just watch Flint play with his sons on the beach. Charles felt as if he didn't know how to be with children and play with them, his child slavers stole that innocence from him so he never knew how to play tag or any other imaginative game.

Which is why on rare occasions Charles was glad he didn't have any children to look after, he wouldn't know how to play with his sons and he certainly wouldn't know what to do if he had a daughter. The best he could offer his children was his undying loyalty to them and that they came above all else, so if his daughter came to him crying that a boy had teased her the very same boy may just find himself at the bottom of the quarry having 'accidently' slipped from the edge.

When Charles watched the Fancy make port from the distance he half wished that the crew would be wanting to ditch their younger captain for a more salty captain like himself, but now that everyone had signed their soul to the British it was no longer a voting process. It was now all about profits and expenses, which was quite easy because the Captains of Nassau didn't have to worry about being boarded by pirates as everyone knew that the new Captains of this port had all been pirates themselves and certainly were not men to be trifled with. He watched from the distance of the Guthrie's old tavern, which had long been abandoned since Eleanor was taken. Nassau was a superstitious bunch and believed the place to be haunted as the men responsible for Eleanor's arrest had all met untimely ends. But the former pirates of Nassau weren't so superstitious about it, they knew Charles Vane picked them off one by one until Hornigold was the last man who mysteriously died after falling off his horse in the swamps just outside town.

"Good Morning Charles!" Charles rolled his eyes, he knew whose perky voice that was and certainly wasn't in the mood explaining to the priest on why he has missed Nassau's Sunday service again, even though he had not stepped foot in side of a church ever.

"Morning"

"I thought you'd be down by the docks with Captain Flint to welcome Nassau's new arrival to the church" The priest knew that Charles was far from god's reach just like so many former pirates that inhabited the island.

"Another overweight priest is hardly a welcomed addition" Charles chuckled, he knew the priest was rather pedantic about his ever increasing waist line.

"Actually, it's a young lady from London. The Bishop sent her to start a new life, far from the busy daily life" The priest waved Charles goodbye and hurried down the street excited to hear all the tales from this apparent wonder woman.

Charles couldn't give a shit, a ugly old broad who beat children with sticks that was what was getting off the 'Fancy' another ambitious woman who would last perhaps a month here, become the new school teacher and go mad from the head or the many students who make it their business to ruin the lives of their teachers.

* * *

When Isabella came up from the Cabin, she was rather surprised at the size of Nassau. She had thought it would be some squalid town on the edge of the British Empire filled with only sparse Navy officers and somewhat questionable men. But looking at the town made her feel a little homesick, everything looked newly built and didn't match the sandy beach surrounds. She wondered how much was here when her mother was in charge, did she have these grand plans like the British or did she like living in a shanty tent town where the only buildings was perhaps the tavern and the brothel.

"Once we port, I want you to follow me. Do not converse with anyone, don't look at any Navy officers" Captain Manderly said quietly as he stood beside her. He hadn't approached Isabella since their heated moment a few days ago. "I must keep you safe, so your identity must remain between the two of us"

Isabella was concerned to why she could use her mother's last name, surely the British didn't hold that much of a grudge over her mother. "I have only been sister Isabella for most of my life, I am sure I can manage" Isabella refused to smile this time she didn't want the captain to think that she was some whimsy girl who could only think of foolish romantics.

"Do you have anything perhaps a bit more modest?" The captain said even quieter as he didn't want the crew to hear their conversation. "Perhaps what you use to wear with the sisters?"

"I do" Isabella said bluntly, not truly wanting to go back to the dismal black robe dress and the white high collar.

The captain stepped a bit closer "Do you need me to help you?"

"As a woman of god Captain, I dare say your intentions are leading you on quite a promiscuous path" Isabella tried to remain straight faced like the captain, but cracked a smile. "No corsets are required for my outfit, however if I die of heatstroke I will be waiting by God's pearly gates to shut them in your face"

When Isabella remerged in her uniform she felt the crews eyes on her, even the cross around her neck felt like it was choking her bit by bit. They had made port and the crew was getting the cargo off with the British on close stand by, which made Isabella nervous as the captain had said not to draw attention. But here she was in black robes heavy enough to make her sink in the sand, if they didn't spot her then they were either blind or stupid.

The captain was waiting on the deck for her, her first steps on solid ground for almost two months felt a bit off. To have that relief from constant swaying was beyond relieving, Isabella wasn't planning to go on a ship anytime soon. She did trip however and if it wasn't for the captain she would've fallen in the water below and the clothes would've drowned her in seconds. "You look ridiculous" he whispered in her ear as he let go of her.

"As a sister I'm not supposed to believe in Vanity" Isabella walked beside the captain both trying not to laugh. But when she spotted the Priest, one father Victor waiting with a few patrons she knew that this would be perhaps their last conversation for a while until she settled. "Perhaps you can visit me, to remove this 'ridicules' uniform" The captain immediately tripped on thin air having to access what the seemingly innocent girl just said to him, she didn't even slow down or anything she just walked towards to the end of the dock with a smile on her face.

"Sister Isabella! It brings me such joy to see that you have arrived safely after such a long journey" Father Victor shook Isabella's hand quite over excited that he would finally have a trustworthy friend on the Island. He waved at Captain Manderly, who for some odd reason looked a bit beside him and didn't wave back opting to turn around and head back to his ship. "Let me introduce you to two of our more esteemed patrons here" the priest gently escorted her over to the waiting patrons underneath a nearby tree.

"This is Captain James McGraw of the Walrus and his wife Lauren" Captain McGraw looked like a man who had seen many battles and countless wars, Isabella didn't want to speculate but by his scars and pierced ear the Captain looked like a pirate if it wasn't for his Navy uniform "I go by Captain Flint actually, it makes it easier for the locals to remember" The captain politely smiled, his wife remained silent even when her husband nudged her. But Isabella just gently breezed past her, not wanting to know why Lauren suddenly went quite.

Father Victor was quite a proud man as it turned out, he showed her anything noteworthy in town before heading up the main street where many people were getting their supper after a hard day's work. Isabella loved the town already, it wasn't cold and she couldn't spot a single mud puddle. But having to wear such a 'modest' uniform had brought its toll on her, she felt like she may be walking through the pits of hell it was that hot. She would have to ask Father Victor what material he uses to remain so cool under such modest clothing.

Isabella did take note of the brothel in the main street, the woman outside were quite the sight to behold. Many knew Father Victor on a first name basis, something that perhaps he would confess to her later but for now she could judge. As she had never seen such scantily clad woman in her life and could barely herself take her eyes off them as they too looked at her as if she had no place at Nassau. Isabella noted a very long forgotten building on her right hand side, it looked to be a tavern. As she got closer to the sign still very much in place, it had her mother's last name on it.

"Father Victor, I see that your excitement proved your worth. Didn't realise there were pretty girls in the church still, perhaps you may see me Sunday after all!" A man's voice from above made both Father Victor and Isabella stop in their tracks.

"Charles, I hope you come to church this Sunday with good intentions not to simply harass poor Isabella here" Father Victor said to the man, who seemed quite drunk to Isabella.

"So Sister Isabella, what on god's green earth brought you to this shithole" Charles said as he leant on the balcony wall, leaning over to see if he could further check out Nassau's latest pain in the neck.

"The Bishop sent me for the Church, I am here though to find some lost family-"

"-no lost family here, those you are looking for are probably dead or not worth knowing" Charles chuckled, another sister with a moral compass come to help the poor and unfortunate to find salvation with god.

"Well, if you know anyone who knew Eleanor Guthrie. Send them my way, I've been waiting many years to find anything about her" Isabella smiled at the man and went to leave but the man had rushed down the nearby stairs and came straight up to her.

"What the fuck makes you think you can mention that name around here?" Charles threatened the sister, who didn't look like he had intimidate her one bit. She held her own ground as she looked to Father Victor who knew what to do; back away slowly.

"Who are you sir, who are you to dare threaten a sister. What vile cesspit did your manners crawl out of" Isabella glared at the man, who smelt of rum and cigars. Of course on her first day in Nassau she would pick a fight with a man who was built like he could take down a horse with a single blow.

"I am Charles Vane, a man who has been on this Island for longer than you have existed. Who the fuck are you?" Charles stepped even closer to the sister, who again didn't look one bit intimidated by him. She was either the bravest church goer he had thus far met, or one of the stupidest.

"My name is Isabella Grace, I am Sister Isabella to you sir" Isabella dared not back down, this was obvious some local idiot looking for trouble.

"What the fuck makes you think you of all people can go looking for information about Eleanor Guthrie, better not be one of those people who came all this way to see where the infamous 'Pirate Queen' came from." Charles took a swig of rum form his drink and glared at the young woman who still had enough spine not to back down.

People in the street were now beginning to watch this heated exchange and whispering one amongst each other which made Isabella think that perhaps this want a smart move, this idiot was some dumb brute who had nothing to do all day than to pick on the new people.

"Eleanor Guthrie, smuggler, tavern owner and 'Pirate Queen'…" Isabella thought for a split second about what Captain Manderly has said only hours ago, that her identity was best kept secret. But this man was beyond vile and needed to be put in his place "Eleanor Guthrie was my mother"

Apart from the sound of Charles shattering the cup in his hand all Isabella could hear was complete silence, even Father Victor looked completely surprised. The various people surrounding them began to whisper like those horrid gossip mongers back home in England and it made Isabella think perhaps that this wasn't the perfect moment to surprise Nassau with news that a Guthrie was back in town.

"That is impossible, you are lying!" Charles launched himself at the young woman grabbing her by the throat, so easily picking her up of the ground as if she was nothing but a rag doll. How dare someone even claim to be Eleanor's daughter, it was beyond an insult to her and him. This Sister was lying and didn't deserve to live, parasites like her may have infected the bigger towns but she certainly wasn't going to infect Nassau with her lies.

"Put her down Charles!" A voice came from the street, Charles turned his head to find Billy aiming a gun at him.

"She is a liar!" Charles yelled back at him.

"Charles stop! She's telling the truth, Isabella is Eleanor's daughter." Billy was panicking, it was only a few more moments before Isabella would lose consciousness. "Isabella could no longer breathe, her panic grew as the feeling of her eyes bursting out of her head became more apparent. She could do nothing, no matter how much she squirmed or clawed at Charles's arms.

Billy cocked his gun to fire, he never actually liked Charles so this was long overdue for the infamous ex-pirate lord.

It was a strange thing, this in-between reality and unconsciousness. Isabella could see Captain Manderly yelling but couldn't hear him, she could feel her legs burning with the want to run away. Even Charles's hand around her throat seemed a minor detail in the odd tranquil feeling, the only thing that she could do was look at the man who was going to kill her.

"Charles put Sister Isabella down!" A voice said from the now crowded streets, Billy sighed in relief at hearing the only voice of reason to Charles. It was Flint, pushing his way through the crowd that had gathered with a rather disappointed face, all these years he thought Charles had turned over a new leaf but here he was strangling the new sister without reason.

Charles let Isabella go, she fell to the ground gasping and wheezing for air. How after all these years did Flint always come to ruin everything, he looked at the young blonde woman on the ground gasping for breath. This Isabella did look a bit like her perhaps in the way Isabella and Eleanor shared the same long blonde hair and the same nose, but at that moment Charles filled with a sense of deep regret. He couldn't remember what Eleanor looked like… nor could recall the sound of her voice or even the smell of Eleanor's perfume even though he knew it was jasmine but it was the smell of Jasmine infused with Eleanor's own unique scent that he couldn't recall.

"Go home girl, the priest is more than enough for Nassau" with that Charles didn't even offer to help the girl lying on the ground, whoever she was she needed to go. If this Isabella was Eleanor's daughter, then Charles had no business in knowing her he didn't want to be reminded what he thought he had long forgotten.

Billy rushed to Isabella's side as she continued to cough and wheeze for air, he looked at Vane walking through the crowed who parted to make way for a man well known to left alone and never to be questioned. Billy wondered how it will go down when Vane learnt about Isabella, that he wasn't alone in the world any longer.

"I thought all the stupid pirates were long gone from this place" Isabella wheezed out, still unable to gather herself together after that rather odd incident.

"No, the pirates didn't leave. The British navy just gave them new ships to crew and new uniforms" Billy smiled at hearing that Isabella was able to speak, Vane hadn't managed to completely crush her throat too badly. "Vane is just a man who is a bit touchy…"

Isabella tried to smile back at the Captain who seemed to be over the moon that she was fine and came out of that predicament rather unscathed, he even helped her get up off the filthy street. "Sister? Shall we go to the church? There are plenty of things to discuss." Father Victor came out from the crowd where he had been hiding from Vane, that man had a way to make Father Victor extremely nervous.

"Can we wait till tomorrow? I think I will feel a bit better when I am settled" Isabella smiled politely before carefully and discreetly grabbing Captain's Manderly.

"Of course I'm sure that Captain Manderly here knows where Mrs. Finnegan's house is? Not too far from the church I assure you sister. I will be by in the morning to then show you the new school being built where you will be once its completed next week" Father Victor said, giving Eleanor a set of keys and furthermore paperwork to look over.

Once the crowd dispersed now no longer eager to see the new sister be beaten to a pulp, Billy wanted to keep a close eye on Isabella no one can walk away from being strangled by a man like Vane and walk away like nothing had happened.

Isabella and the Captain remained silent for most of the way to where she was to be lodged for her time she was to spend in Nassau, the captain had made polite conversation but Isabella remained silent as she noted the Captains uneasiness greatly increase the closer they got to their destination. Had he thought her a fool? Taking on such a large man in an argument that she should've known perhaps was a bit touchy to those who knew her mother.

A fool she certainly was, Nassau was not the civilised place she was told about. The British flag may be flying over the fort, but Isabella had never seen such poor conditions. Buildings had not been maintained, the streets were full of filth and the children she saw were nothing but little thieves waiting for the unsuspecting person to turn their heads the other way.

The captain stopped in front of a home which looked similar to one that was described to her in a fairy tale when she was a young girl. Not in the charming woodlands animals kind of way, more like the wicked witch with the house that looked to be haunted or infested with either vermin or cats.

"Mrs Finnegan's house has been empty for close to five years, but it has managed to keep it's…..charm?" The captain said to Isabella who had a look of worry upon her face.

Isabella had all of her life in the confines of the church, big old stone buildings with no warmth to them. While this house which was to be hers until she went back home, made her miss those cold floors and high ceilings. This house looked like something that a writer could use to scare little children as their parents read to them at night. She hesitantly opened the waiting for a ghost to pop up out of nowhere, but was quite relieved to find the place appealingly normal. Nothing exquisite but enough comfortable furnishings and decorative pieces that made it feel more like home, all Isabella wanted to do was grab some flowers to freshen up the place. She had almost forgotten the Captain was with her until he closed the front door, bringing her back to the reality that she thought that he thought that she was a fool.

"You must think of me as some hot headed foolish girl." Isabella said as she removed the linen cloth covering the lounge chair before sitting down clawing at her uniform, the heat of Nassau she was warned of. But she didn't take any due care that it may actually be hotter than a blistering hot summer's day in London, but luckily is she was going to teach at the school then this thick, black and plainly uncomfortable uniform had its days numbered. "I have never argued with anyone before, but that man… just angered me in a way that all I wanted to do was yell at him"

"I do not think you a fool, Charles Vane is a man who lives to pick a fight with anybody that wonders past him" Billy wanted to tell Isabella that there was a reason that the both of them fired up at one another, but it was not his place. Soon Isabella will work it out for herself or a gossip monger from the town would fill her in. "But I urge caution with Charles, as like most men here. A man who had a life like Charles isn't the type to be a good man." Billy didn't mean to chuckle, but he remembered the first of many moments of the power struggles between Charles and Eleanor. The one clearly in his mind at the moment was when Eleanor came into the brothel pissed off a Charles for interfering and walked up and punched him across the face, it would've been a good moment if Charles didn't punch her back and knock her to the ground. "I remember when I was much younger, when your mother was so angry with Vane that she came into where his entire crew was and walked up and just punched him. Of course your mother was like yourself and didn't have the strength behind her to cause any serious damage, unlucky for her that Charles did and punched her back clean across her jaw knocking her to the ground"

"Charles Vane doesn't sound like a good man, how a man like himself doesn't end up being hung for piracy and in the service of the British confuses me" Isabella said as she removed her collar, she was now in her own house and there was no longer a need to remind people that she was a member of the church.

"It may surprise you, but even though Charles isn't always a honourable man he has made quite a number of sacrifices for Nassau. It's why they didn't hang him, why hang a man who wished for death when he could suffer the punishment of life" Billy said, carefully removing another linen cloth on the chair opposite where Isabella now sat.

"Captain?-

"-Billy, since we are no longer on the ship. We may as well be on a first name basis at this current rate anyhow" Billy laughed as a slight blush appeared on Isabella's cheeks. He had never thought that he would find someone to cherish like Isabella, though she was far younger than he was he hoped that she didn't mind. But there was a worry, that he had once he left her with Father Victor that she had been behind closed doors most of her life of course she wouldn't mind the first bit of attention coming from him… but what if there was someone younger than he was that would soon catch her eye.

"Well Billy, I hope that I am not the only one wanting and waiting for more" Isabella blushed and smiled. She had been completely been smitten with the Captain and she dare dreamed that she wasn't the only one with these feelings. That was surely truly as before she knew it Billy had grabbed her hand and the pair where in the bedroom.

Nervous as anything, Isabella could barely keep a nervous smile off her face. As she removed more of that dreadful linen cloth off the furniture her pulse raced as she felt Billy watching her, she felt like a lovesick puppy or some other helpless creature.

Billy saw her beginning to look a bit wary and knew that she may be battling a inner morals that she had long upheld while being in the church, she stood there in the corner watching him as if he moved to quickly he may spook her. Cautiously, Billy approached her he noticed she was quite literally waiting with baited breath to see what the first move was.

But all Billy did was gently turn her around, his breathe she could feel on the back of her neck and it sent a chill down her spine. With every single button that came undone Isabella grew nervous, what if she didn't please him would he be disappointed? Or worse would he make fun of her?

Billy knew what Isabella was thinking, he tried his best to keep his composure and willpower under control. All morning he had watched her suffer in the heat with this horrendous black dress and now was the time to remove it and for it to be thrown out the window. But as the dress came off, he could pull his eyes off her. Of course Isabella still had far more clothing on, that he was thankful for. That infamous corset again just ached to be readjusted, but he took a breath and stepped back a bit so that she would step out of the dress now pooling at her ankles.

Isabella stepped out of the dress, hoping that she didn't trip over the horrendous thing in the process. She couldn't look Billy in the eye, last time she was this exposed she was on the ship and yet now she felt like that never happened all her confidence from that encounter had seen to run off with every second of awkward silence.

"There's no reason to be nervous Bella" Billy said as he approached her.

"There's every reason to be nervous Billy, I am standing here with so little on and you stand staring at me fully clothed" Isabella stepped back a little, slightly afraid of where Billy may lay a hand on her first. But that nervous energy quickly disappeared as Isabella looked up to see Billy unbuttoning his own uniform and discarding it to the floor.

For all her life Isabella had been told fornication was a sin, that an unmarried woman and man will serve an eternity in hell if they did so. But looking at Billy's body, Isabella's morals started to fog in her mind. No London man Isabella had seen had been as handsome as Billy was and now here he was without a shirt on, she could see the years of scars on his body from the many adventures he surely had.

"I don't think, that you would enjoy the sight of my body as much as I do yours" Isabella's eyes returned to the floor.

"I think you are the most beautiful young lady I had ever had the pleasure to lay my eyes on" This time Billy again went cautiously around her, gently untying her corset.

"Please don't laugh" Isabella said quietly, as soon as Billy would be finished untying her corset something that she had managed to hide for the years would be seen for him to judge. But as he removed her corset and gently tugged the remaining blouse over her head, she heard Billy inhale sharply. He had seen it, he had seen what the church did to her when she was only fifteen years old to make her know and remember that without the church she would've been killed alongside her mother.

"Did the church do this to you?..." Billy asked, the sight in front of him was something that he never saw coming. He thought her shyness may have been due to her lack of experience, but now he could do nothing but gently trace the outline of the crucifix brand that was in the middled of her back alongside with so many other horizontal scars which he knew himself all too well that came from lashes.

"I was fifteen, a man accused me of deceiving him. It was a punishment seen fit to acknowledge that I will always belong to the church, without the safeguard of the church I would've likely been sold on to the warehouses or brothels. So I was branded, to always remind me that the only reason I wake up every morning was to serve the church and I had no other place to be"

"I didn't even know the church could do such a thing-

"-The sister who placed the punishment was a wicked old hag with a mean temper, once she died the lashings and the punishment went with her."

There was a naked girl standing in front of, not only was she being courageous and allowing Billy to do as he pleased by removing all sense of her ingrained morals. But he could tell that this wasn't something Isabella wanted as public knowledge, this was something she wanted to remain hidden. This was something that Isabella was sharing with Billy, the first person she had ever allowed to know and something that she had been ashamed of most of her life.

Isabella dared not turn to see the look on Billy's face, did he think she was hideous was he no longer interested in pursuing her. What made her fears come true was that Billy had bent down to grab her blouse off the floor where only a moments the pair were in a passionate rush to remove all layers of clothing. As Billy put it gently back over her head and helped her put her arms through the sleeves Isabella couldn't help but acknowledge that this was a mistake, that the church did this so no man would want her.

Billy couldn't stand the silence or Isabella not facing him, as he placed his hand on her shoulder to turn her. She shrugged it off and walked away, Isabella walked to the other side of room furious with herself that she was so foolish to have developed feelings with a man so quickly without the proper conduct that a young lady would've normally been forced to go through if her parents had found a suitor. Isabella had just managed to meet a man, who was quite literally the first man to ever pay her any affectionate attention. Was she so naïve and ignorant that she would've just opened her legs for a man, who hadn't tried at all to win her affections or court her in the proper way.

"Isabella, please. I meant no insult-

"-Leave. I was foolish to let my emotions and feelings cloud my better judgment. My entire life I always was told that men lure woman in to get what they want and leave, now that you have seen my scars you want nothing from me"

"No! That's not it" Billy defended his actions. "You are just so young, so young and beautiful" he wanted to do everything his feelings where compelling him to, in fact screaming at him to do. But his mind couldn't allow it, Isabella was young, beautiful and far too innocent for him to simply demand that she gave him everything.

Wrong choice of words for Isabella, if he called her beautiful then why wasn't he loving her, kissing her like he had on the ship. Was her scarred back that horrendous to see, that now he doubted what was growing between them. "Was all this some sort of game? Is there a betting pool amongst your crew perhaps?"

"No, it wasn't a game" Billy didn't want Isabella to angry with him, if anything the incident with Charles only an hour or so ago proved that the apple didn't fall far from the tree when it came to the similar tempers of Isabella and Vane.

"Then what is it!?" Isabella yelled at him, her temper getting the best of her before she took a breath to calm herself. She didn't need the entire town to hear about her personal life after the day she has had.

"I thought that perhaps we could start a little slower…I mean, If others were to hear about us it may ruin your reputation-

"-why because I've lived under a rock all my life?" Isabella said completely sarcastically, where people to think of her as some sort of uncivilised hermit?

"Precisely"

"Do you think of me as some doe eyed nun, who would jump at the first chance to spread her legs at any man who paid her the least bit of attention!" Isabella didn't mean to sound so vulgar, she would have to beat her head against the wall for sounding like a moron. But this time Billy didn't answer, he just stood there completely lost for words. "Leave, if you think so lowly of me Captain I suggest you go to the brothel down the road to warm your bed tonight."

Billy had no argument left in him, he couldn't defend his actions or thoughts that lead to this disaster. He had been unable to simply state that all he wanted was get to know her, with her clothes on before they made the next step together. All he could do was put his shirt and uniform back on while Isabella sat on the bed looking beside herself, he should've just left her alone but instead he had to let his feelings be known. Billy kneeled down in front on her and gently grabbed her hand and kissed it, he half expected to be slapped but instead Isabella leapt forward wrapping her arms around his neck.

"I'm sorry" She whispered in his ear, Isabella hadn't mean to be so cruel to him. She felt like a fool, but her foolishness was due to her own naïve belief that all men were the same.

"We just need to be careful, we have all the time in the world. Sex that can come much later. I don't want to be like your father and find out on the other side of the world, that you're here all alone with our child. I couldn't bare it" Billy said as he wrapped his own arms around her, breathing in that Jasmine perfume of Isabella's that he loved dearly.

"I know that you know who my father is, you have your reasons to keep his identity from me. But that can wait till tomorrow, for now how about we both just climb into bed and just sleep" Isabella helped Billy off the ground and tugged him towards the bed, where the pair held each other and let the distant noise of the town disappear as sleep claimed them

* * *

 _Sorry for the long delay! University is kicking my butt at the moment._

 _Another Chapter will be up shortly_

 _x_


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

A Little Chaos

Chapter Three

* * *

Charles wasn't the type who would usually skulk about outside some ladies home, but this Isabella had claimed to be Eleanor's daughter only hours before. It had been over twenty years since someone had dared to say her name in front of him, even though he had throttled her and threatened her further Charles couldn't leave the idea that Eleanor had met a man in London or on the ship over and to have his child, while she still met with the Gallows. Isabella looked like she could be no older than seventeen or perhaps eighteen, so had Eleanor not met with the gallows till sometime after her arrival? Was the trial not as quickly dealt with and swept under the rug like he was told it was. There was many questions to be asked of this Isabella, especially questions that came after Charles skulked by the bedroom window and saw Isabella's bare flesh which looked to be torn and disfigured alongside a branding of cross. Whoever this Isabella was, at some time in her life she did something unforgivable in the eyes of this church which made her far more interesting now that just some foolish school teacher.

Charles also noted that Billy and Isabella were lovers of sort, though he knew this most likely to be news to Billy's crew. Charles was certainly not a position to judge whether a church goer like Isabella would be smart enough to know that fornication outside of marriage was frowned upon, though not that it mattered much here in Nassau the streets were filled of bastard children.

As Charles walked away from the house, a thought entered his mind like a painful lightning bolt that almost took the very breath from him. There was a possibility….that if Isabella was older than she looked that Eleanor would've been with child before she was taken which would make further sense of the few months delay between her trial and hanging, that Isabella the young sister who Charles had throttled hours ago… could very well be his own daughter.

Charles continued the long walk back to his house trying to remember anything before Eleanor was taken, there was little he remembered apart from Eleanor's burning betrayal. Had perhaps he had gotten her pregnant the night she took Abigail from him? Because if it was the night where Ned Lowe's head was displayed on a pike, then Eleanor would've known that she would've been with child. At a rough estimate Eleanor would've been almost four months into the pregnancy on the night she betrayed Charles, which also meant that someone in Nassau knew. The gossip mongers in this town had eyes and ears everywhere, someone would've known this information and kept it from him for all these years.

* * *

The morning light shining through the window woke Isabella up who wanted nothing but continue to sleep, she groaned in protest about the noise level outside that seemed to rise with every passing minute. As she turned to avoid staring directly into the sun Isabella was greeted by a sight that she thought she would've never seen, there was Billy fast asleep looking completely content with himself. Sure Isabella knew him to quite a handsome man, but now with him being so still she could examine every freckle and blemish upon his face. Something that she hadn't noticed previously and thought not to bring it up just in case Billy may feel defensive about it, was that in this light Isabella could see the light grey hairs beginning to show at his hairline.

Isabella knew she had better wake Billy, but she couldn't resist one last embrace. His crew would have to wait as she cuddled up beside him. She heard Billy chuckled as he too wrapped his arms around her pressing her body against his own.

If it wasn't for someone banging on the front door, Isabella would've made Billy stay in bed with her until the sun went down again. She got up hesitantly not wanting to wake Billy again, who knows how long it had been since he had decent night's sleep. Isabella made herself slightly more presentable more the expected Father Victor who would be waiting at her door thinking that she had all intentions to travel all day with him while he showed her the entire town.

But as she opened the door she had the instinct to almost slam it in the person who was waiting, it was that horrendous brute of a man from yesterday who got a bit uppity at the mere mention of Isabella's mothers name.

"You and I have some matters to discuss" Charles said as he pushed past Isabella, if he didn't he was certain she was going to slam the door in his face.

"Please do come in" Isabella snorted before slamming the door after him. She showed Charles to the living room, this time he sat down as she refused to sit- just in case he lost his temper, being on her feet meant that she could run away quicker.

"I knew your mother, better than anyone else in Nassau. " Charles started "Eleanor and I met when she was only fifteen after her mother died and her father left her in the care of one of his slaves -"

"-I don't care to hear anything about my mother from a man like you. I never met her, so to hear any word from you is to me like going to the town drunk for life advice" Isabella didn't want a word from Charles, he looked like a man who had a long life and probably taken a few lives.

Charles sat there unsure what to do or say, he hadn't thought through the actual conversation. He thought she would've soaked up anything he would've had to say about Eleanor. "You never knew her?" he asked.

"No, I was given to the church two weeks after I had been born. Then my mother met the gallows cementing my fate to live behind closed doors in service of god"

"Then that makes you at least twenty? Am I right?"

"Yes, old enough to know the ways of the world" Isabella joked, sitting down on the chair opposite Charles even though her entire brain screamed her told her not to. But Charles didn't show any kind of emotion, his expression just darkened as he seemed to be analysing her to the bare bone.

"I loved you mother, not all the time. But I loved her enough to not kill her, or let the men kill her. She wanted Nassau to be a part of the other colonies, to be legitimate so her businesses could finally grow and trade within the British territory. The last time I saw your mother, was the last time I begged her to stay, I told her that I loved her that together we could build Nassau into something greater than just another colony." Charles didn't have the skills to be a conversationalist man let alone to come to the point in this conversation.

"Oh no, no no no!" Isabella felt like she was going to vomit, she covered her mouth with her hand and tried to supress the gag reflex.

Charles ignored that Isabella was turning a shade whiter, he though if she heard more of the story that perhaps she might settle down. "Eleanor did not tell me that she was pregnant, If even I had suspected that she was I wouldn't have done what I did and leave her alone to be used as a bargaining chip by some crew members who wanted to save themselves"

"You cannot be my father! I will not have it!" Isabella yelled at him, before she noticed Billy hiding around the corner with the letters C.V on it. Which only further caused greater distress, Billy had known the entire time, he could've blurted it out yesterday when Charles was close to strangling her to death.

Isabella took the letter from Billy whom she glared at harshly before handing it to Charles. "The only thing you and I have in common sir, is a letter from a woman who is now long since dead" With that she went back to the bedroom trying to get dressed as quickly as she could so she could escape this nightmare.

While Charles looked at the letter, he knew that handwriting immediately. Sitting down he quarrelled with himself to whether not he should open it and read what it said or put in the fireplace to burn later, knowing Eleanor it wouldn't be a kind hearted letter so there was a possibility that even now long since she left him that she could still crush what little of his soul he had left. But he did it as if he was ripping off a bandage, he owed her at least to read her final words.

 _Charles,_

 _If you receive this letter then our daughter has found you and I have long since been buried far from friends and home, there is so much to say to you and yet I cannot find it in me to lecture on what you have done. You cost me the last of my family, yet I am giving you one if fate had anything to do with it I would say that it was slightly ironic._

 _I did not name her, how does a mother name a child who will be taken from her breast at any moment only to be hung for crimes that any sane person would do the same if they knew what Nassau was and what I hope one day it shall be._

 _I know you Charles, like you know the ocean tides. So I know you have questions and I wish I had the opportunity to answer them. That night in the fort, I was going to tell you that I was carrying your child and that you would have the family you wanted. But when I saw how bloodthirsty you were, I couldn't do it. I had to find another way, one that didn't mean for people to lose their loved ones. Flint and I wanted Nassau to be legitimate, something you had been against as you only saw it as another pair of chains. But I had to try for a future where our family would've been safest, again fate wanted to ironic while the British pardoned everyone I am still to die and our daughter will never know the sense of having both her mother and father to raise her._

 _My family didn't want our daughter, my family instead organised her to go to the church where she would live her life in service of god. I know that the Church and you also don't get along Charles, so I hope if our daughter is anything like us that she doesn't become just another god fearing citizen._

 _You and I were both robbed, I would have given anything not have had to bring our daughter into the world in nothing but a cold and damp cell. I would've cherished the moments where you would come home and tell her stories about your latest hunt. If I were to judge, our daughter would be so beautiful something I know you would've been proud of and I were there by your side now I would've given you the large family you wanted, so that when we are both old and ready to die we would be surrounded by our family who loved us unconditionally_

 _I'm sorry, I can't be there now by your side. But now you have our daughter, give her a chance to see what good I saw in you and I am sure that she will in time come to love you. She is all we have Charles, be good to her._

 _I love you Charles, as I face my death in the coming days. There is little I pray for, but I pray that you will live a long fulfilled life and remember me always as the young naïve girl you once saw on the docks and not the monster Nassau made me._

 _Look after our daughter Charles,_

 _Yours sincerely Eleanor._

Not a sound could be heard, no bustling villagers outside, no horses hooves not even a squeak from the old house. Silence, to the point Charles had never heard such a thing in his life. The letter he had feared was something now he would have to cherish till his dying days. He expected a violent and aggressive letter addressing the very sense of worth he had or at least the reaming of the little conscience he had left.

Charles had expected the letter to be so civil and rather gaunt, he could see parts of the paper that were marked as Charles could only guess as water stains from Eleanor's tears as she wrote it. Why had the fates to be so cruel, if he knew that she was carrying Isabella he would've done anything to protect them. But already he had failed, his carelessness cost Eleanor's life and the cost his daughters childhood. There was little Charles could do now but try to help Isabella through this rather frustrating time, after all it was only yesterday when he practically threatened to kill her.

* * *

 _Super short I know, But due to recent developments in the show... I'm just lost for words._

 _Eleanor in her letter seemed to be a bit ooc, but i rewrote that bloody thing six times until I settled for that._

 _My heart is broken, so for now I can't promise an immediate update this week._

 _Please leave a review, it may help with my mourning. Since this story has had over 500+ readers but only 2 reviews._

 _So its either crap, or people are lazy. I would just like to know, after all I can no longer watch the series so If its crap let me know so I can just delete it and move forward._


	4. Chapter 4

A Little Chaos

Chapter Four

By the time the run rolled into the bedroom Isabella had become uncomfortably warm, she cursed at the Caribbean climate for waking her at such an early hour. Though, it probably wasn't just the climate making her so feverish. Two strong tanned arms remained wrapped around her like a boa constrictor would do to its prey, which weren't going to let go of her anytime soon.

Gently prying from Billie's arms Isabella was able to draw the curtains closed leaving Billie to sleep off the last day or so drama. She had never seen him sleep before, it was now harder than ever to imagine him as she renegade pirate running around with the likes of her father Charles Vane.

Her father, an infamous pirate lord known even in Britain as a vile and cruel human being. A murderous treasonous son of a bitch, by all accounts. Charles Vane a man who probably was physically incapable of affection and all things relating to family was now the reason she had been sent half way around the world.

Isabella left Billy to softly snore and went to wander around the old and neglected house, as she entered the hallway she looked at all the fine detail in the ceiling covered in a mix of cobwebs and dust hiding the possibility that perhaps this house was more than due to be demolished. The kitchen was large, a room that Isabella knew was going to be her favourite. She had long dreamed the freedom of baking her own bread and cooking for her loved ones, this old and tired kitchen meant that she now had that chance.

But firstly, Isabella would need to learn how to cook. Back in England she was never taught how to do such basic tasks, others like her self-those whose parents were on the wrong side of the law- where never given the opportunity to learn such a skill. Instead, they were put in duty of cleaning, dusting, laundry and if they were lucky they would maintain the grassy courtyard during spring and summer.

It had been so many years of gruel like food, stew and old bread. Those foods Isabella never wanted to see again, even if at the start her food may be a little burnt and tasteless. But that's the thing with cooking, one can only improve.

The old fireplace in the living room, where only last night her father had threatened to kill her or at least not even denied till he died that he was not her father. Isabella could even still smell the rum stench that Charles left behind, opting her to clean out the fireplace to the best of her abilities so that she could light it and remove the horrid stench.

Once lit, Isabella felt better the fire removed the horrid smell of her father. Though she was sure that her fireplace was the only one lit in Nassau in this humid hot weather. That's one thing she wasn't sure how to handle? Isabella had known only London all her life, its coldness, its grey skies and raining every other day. Nassau was apparently sunny and warm for most of the year, till the rainy season came and even then it was warm.

There was a knock at her door, Isabella had hoped it wasn't anyone else to cause any more drama for her. As she opened it, a lady of colour stood in front of the door. But she wasn't like the Slaves Isabella had seen in the streets of London…

"Isabella?" she asked with a french accent. While Isabella could do nothing but nod completely mesmerised by the beauty of the woman.

"I knew it was you, no one could be that beautiful without being related to Eleanor." The woman pulled her into a tight hug, even though Isabella had no idea who this crazy french lady was.

"My name is Max, I grew up with your mother. She and I were extremely close, in between the times when your father didn't dazzle her of course" Max smiled as she gently pushed past the frazzled young woman.

"I recently learnt that Captain Vane is my father, in fact I learnt it just last night"

Max hesitantly sat down on the cushioned nearby chair in the lounge room, it was able to hold her weight so she smiled again at the young woman who looked like the world was crashing around her. "You have to understand, your mother ran this entire island. She answered to no man, any one who defied her met with your father in a dark ally somewhere till her point was proved. Eleanor was not some housewife, that is why your father worshipped her. The two of them together was like a hurricane, but like all storms it left a path of destruction."

"If they were so well suited, how did he not know about me? Why did my mother chose not to tell him. He could've come and got me from the church, I could've had the chance of normality.

"There were difficulties, I was the first to know that you were coming. At that time she found out, Eleanor had ruined your father. I think he spent the next few weeks drunk to the point we thought he was dead. Eventually he won her favour, he got his ship back. But Eleanor being stubborn wouldn't tell him" Max sighed, reliving the memories last few months of Eleanor was something she had promised not to do.

"When Charles wiped out an entire crew for your mother, I thought she would tell him. But as her belly swelled she grew more hesitant. Your father didn't want the Nassau it is today, he loved the roughness of the pirate town-

"-Morning" Billy chimed out of the bedroom, completely dismissing that Max was even there. "You know, I had the strangest dream. I stood next to my father, being defeated in battle in front of this Queen with the fearsome dragon before being burnt to the point i was ash on the ground"

"Dragons? You have quite the imagination. Next you will be telling me about Mermaids and other creatures of the deep" Isabella smiled at him, she felt so warm by Billy being in the same room.

"I see you are already aquatinted with Captain Manderly" Max practically snarled, Captain Manderly was nothing but an obnoxious righteous pain in the ass. He was the golden goose of Nassau in the eyes of the British Royal Navy, nothing like he used to be in his younger years.

"Yes, he is the one who escorted me over-"

"-I'd would find it unusual for you to be so infatuated with the man partly responsible for your mothers death" Max glared at Billie, who scoffed. Even being nearly two decades, Max still held that chip on her shoulder. That annoying chip, where she blamed everyone for the fall of Nassau which led to her brothel turn into nothing more than a boring tavern- not the death of Eleanor.

Isabella took a step away from the both of them, she wanted a morning to contemplate and find her feet. Not have everyone barking at each other about her mother, a woman she has never met. Billie noticed this and wrapped his right arm around her gently pulling Isabella back in to him, his hand caressed the delicate skin of her neck. But Isabella didn't look at him, she looked at the floor instead.

"This woman, is no more a friend of your mothers than the man who sentenced her to death. Max, along with your father never wanted Nassau to be British. When your mother took Abigail from your father, my crew left to give Nassau a good name and to give Abigail to her father, a important political figure. We didn't mean to leave her and we never thought Captain Hornigold to do such a thing than to sell your mother out." His words sounded convincing, but at the same time there was information missing. Isabella needed to sit down and have a heart to heart with Billie, to figure out who on this Island is a friend or foe. A tear ran down her cheek, Billie saw this and his heart broke even more. Max was too soon for her so he did what he knew to be the only thing he could do. He embraced her warmly ignoring Maxs rude comment in French.

Then all of a sudden a man came rushing through the front door, it was Charles… though it looked like he had seen a priest of something. His hair had been neatly trimmed, what used to be a ragged face now looked like he was the Navy officer he was suppose to be. Charles even had some of his uniform on, which was a sight to be seen! it was clean and didn't smell like it had been washed in rum.

Charles came in excited to show Isabella a few things, and perhaps later when they were alone he would tell her everything. But he noticed that god awful woman Max, who for the last decade had become just as volatile as her old friend Anne use to be. The atmosphere was that tense, Charles could cut it with a knife. Then he heard Isabella whimper, and saw Bille embrace her tighter.

Someone made her cry… made his daughter cry…. and it was clear as day to who it was.

"What the fuck are you doing here?"

"To tell her the truth about you, she should know the man behind your name. If it wasn't for you Eleanor would still be alive-" Max didn't even get the chance to end her sentence she was thrown out on the street by Charles.

"Come near my daughter again, and ill be more creative than last time i tried to kill you"

Ok, so I've been in mourning over the death of Charles for over a year. But since watching the latest Pirates of the caribbean, new muses have appeared.

Its not fantastic writing. But it will do for now!


End file.
